Colapinto back in the saddle with Alpine at Monza TPC test

While Alpine’s race team battled it out at the Japanese Grand Prix last Sunday, reserve driver Franco Colapinto was racking up the laps at Monza under the French outfit's Testing of Previous Cars programme.

It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment jaunt – Colapinto’s outing was scheduled months ahead, following fellow reserve Paul Aron’s run - pictured above - in the same car on Saturday.

But the timing couldn’t have been more telling, as it coincided with a bruising weekend for Alpine’s race rookie Jack Doohan at Suzuka, amplifying the whispers about the Australian’s precarious seat.

Colapinto, who joined Alpine from Williams over the off-season, is widely seen as the frontrunner among the team’s four reserves to snag a race drive if an opportunity arises.

His stock skyrocketed after a dazzling nine-race cameo with Williams in 2024, and Alpine’s hefty investment in securing him – rumored to include a multi-year deal and significant sponsor backing – only fuels the narrative that he’s more than just a backup plan.

At Monza, he wasn’t just stretching his legs, he was showcasing the pace and poise that have Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s executive advisor, openly singing his praises.

Doohan’s Fight Under Pressure

Colapinto's smooth, confident laps around the Temple of Speed stood in stark contrast to the commotion unfolding across the globe in Japan, where Doohan was nursing literal and figurative bruises in Suzuka.

A monster 180mph crash in FP2 – caused by a misjudged DRS move into Turn 1 – left him sore and short of mileage.

Starting 19th after limited practice, he clawed his way to 15th in a race light on overtaking, earning quiet nods from the Alpine brass for his grit.

But that isn’t enough when Colapinto’s shadow looms large. Doohan’s contract, rumored to cover just the season’s opening races, hangs like a guillotine, with every misstep dissected and every solid drive barely enough to silence the doubters.

Ralf Schumacher’s post-race quip that Doohan “doesn’t know if he’ll be in Bahrain” only cranked up the heat.

For Doohan, it’s a high-stakes game: outperform Pierre Gasly, shake off the crashes, and prove he’s more than a placeholder. For Franco, it’s about biding his time, one fast lap at a time.

• Read also: Alpine confirms Doohan crash triggered by DRS ‘misjudgment’

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